The Bet
by Spyness is the key
Summary: Charlotte had entered into a bet to get a date for the upcoming formal ball. What she doesn't realize was that the bet was set to design in giving her the courage to finally confess to Stacey her love. Will she be hurt in the end?


**TITLE: **_The Bet_

**SUMMARY: **_The gang (Not the BSC) have decided to place a bet. Each one must find a date for the upcoming ball. _

**RATING: **_T_

**CATEGORIES: **_Friendship/ Romance/ Drama/ Family/ Hurt/Comfort/ Angst/ Tragedy/ Crime_

**PRELUDE**

"So are you up for a little bet?" Adam looked at Charlotte as she came into the sitting room.

"I don't want to do anything childish, Adam." Charlotte sighed as she sat down next to him on the couch. She eyed Bryon, Jordan, Nicky as she said it. She knew these three Pike fellows pretty well by now. Her eyes drifted over to where Vanessa, Claire, Becca, David Michael, Karen, Andrew, Lucy and Jamie were sitting. She wouldn't put it past them either for getting some silly idea for a childish romp.

"It's nothing childish." Nicky said with a grin. "After all Char we are in college now. We are adults - not children."

Charlotte just stared at him. She wasn't fooled a bit.

"Look, we promise this isn't a childish bet, Char." Adam said swinging his arms across her shoulders. "What do you say, luv? Are you up for a little bet?" His right eye brow rose up and down.

Charlotte sighed and smiled. "I'm in."

The others smiled in relief.

"So what's the bet?" Charlotte asked as she leaned against Adam's chest. His arm was warm and safe around her. She was comfortable with this public display.

"The bet is .... to see who hooks up -" Jordan began with a grin.

Charlotte shook her head, "Than I'm out. I'm not making a bet on my sex life. I find that too be disgusting and distrupted."

"Only because you haven't had any good sex, Char." Nicky and Becca said together.

Charlotte blinked and jerked away from Adam. Her face heated up. "My sex life isn't going to be discussed." She seethed as she stood to her feet.

Bryon stood up and put his hand on Charlotte's tight shoulder blade. "Char -" He softly said.

"No Bryon, this isn't -" Charlotte couldn't finish. She felt a lump come to her throat.

"We are sorry Charlotte. We didn't mean to poke fun at you." Nicky said looking up at the angry girl. "We were unthinkable is all. The bet isn't about sex anyway. It's simply a bet to see whom can hook up with someone by the formal ball is all. Non of us have any dates lined up. The ball is in two weeks time. Most of the singles here at the college are about taken. Non of us want to go solo - so, we thought you know to help us all out - was to set up a little bet is all."

Charlotte did want to go to ball. Truly she did. But truthfully she wasn't interested in anyone on campus. She was secretly in love with Stacey McGill. Had been since the first moment when she met her when she was seven years old. Stacey had been her baby sitter and as close as a sister. But Charlotte's heart had been Stacey's that day. Stacey meant the world to Charlotte. Charlotte was dying to proclaim her undying love to her - but was afraid that Stacey didn't feel that way about her. Charlotte was afraid that Stacey would be gentle towards her as she offered only her friendship.

She had her share of boyfriends. Never girlfriends. No; Charlotte wanted her first girlfriend to be Stacey. She wanted to be able to offer that as gift. So that Stacey knew that she was her one and only. Charlotte didn't see any problem with dating boys. Stacey had been doing so herself. She didn't even think twice when she lost her virginity her senior prom. She knew Stacey had been sleeping around herself for years.

That first time was all right. Not great. Just all right. She was still too knew and unsure of the whole sex with someone else to be comfortable. Charles, her date, was a just happy to lose his virginity - that he truly just hurried them out of their clothes and entered her. It was over in five minutes. Charles was just happy that he became a 'man' that he didn't even think of her feelings or thoughts.

She didn't care that much about Charles to begin with. Sides she knew that he was just a typical seventeen year old boy. She wasn't hurt at all by his behavior. She was actually surprised that the lose of her virginity only took five minutes. She was also surprised that she didn't even have any feelings whatsoever about the loss of it - or during the loss of it.

She told Stacey about her experience and questioned why she didn't feel anything. Stacey said that Charles just wasn't the right one was all. Plus perhaps Charlotte had maybe rushed into sex - due to peer pressure.

Charlotte said that was the reason. But in truth, she knew that she didn't feel anything because it wasn't Stacey whom had been with her. Stacey confided that some of her sexual experiences haven't been all that great either. That was the way life was at times - unless you truly have feelings for your partner; than you run the risk of meaningless sex.

She entered into her next sexual realionship with David Micheal the summer before college. He was actually a good and compassitant lover. She had enjoyed her time with him. He knew that she wasn't looking forever with him. He didn't question her at that time whom she was truly craving after. He just knew that her heart was all ready spoken for. They ended when school started. But they remained best friends ever after.

Charlotte had taken a few lovers in the first term of freshmen year. Most of them had been druken frat boys - and one night stands. She quite forgot their names and looks the moment she left their sights. Than she started accepting the comfort that Bryon was offering her. They soon fell into a year long realionship. Both offering compianship that they both deeply needed. Only with Bryon did Charlotte vocally admit her love for Stacey. He knew that she wasn't in it forever. He was fine with it. He was in it to offer the safe and comfort that she was looking for at the moment. They ended it mutally.

Charlotte asked Stacey if she had ever been with a woman. Or even kissed a woman before. Stacey laughed, and shook her head. That she wasn't into it. Charlotte asked if she was even a little curious. Stacey said no. Charlotte's heart broke then. She went away, and allowed a drunken lout to take her into a alley, and have his way with her. It left her feeling dirty and used.

That was the last time she had sex. It had been two years since that day.

"The rules of the bet is as following," David Michael said as he sat forward. "One, you must be the askee and not the asker. Two, only single people are allowed to be asked. Three, you have till two days till the ball. Four, you may not ask the same person that another better wants to ask. Five, Non students are allowed to be asked. Six, they must be at least eighteen to be asked."

"Agreed." Everyone said in union. They all waited for Charlotte to agree.

She sighed deeply. "Agreed." Her eyes lowered, so she didn't witness everyone else looking at each other pleased.

**END OF PRELUDE**


End file.
